Tips for first time bloggers at World Travel Market

Thinking of attending London’s World Travel Market this year? It may be months off but now is the time to be signing up for a press pass. This golden ticket in a lanyard opens up a hub of information and facilities for the travel blogger. It gives access to data, briefings and press releases. It provides space from the noise, bustle and business of the trade floor. And it offers a free coffee or two, if the Italy stand can’t provide, says seasoned WTM attendee Kirstie Pelling….

London’s Excel may not be the centre of the world, but for four days a year, it brings the world together under one roof in the UK. I have attended the London World Travel Market (there are now three others worldwide run by the same company since bloggers were invited in) and, in my wanderings, I have discovered some universal truths that apply to both ExCeL and the globe as a whole that I’d like to share with you now:

• European countries look quite close together on a map. They are not.
• Italy does good coffee.
• Brits do not know how to host a party compared to every other nation on the planet.
• It’s all rather tiring and requires flat shoes, a rucksack and regular snacks.
• You can’t rely on bumping into people. Set up meets if you can.
• The more information you gather, process and hoard, the more you will get out of it.

Information, information, information

It’s the last point that’s most relevant to this article. If you are a blogger (and likely if you are reading this then you are) then information about the travel industry is your currency. And the best way to cash in on WTM is by hot footing it to the press centre on arrival. But then you know that don’t you? Don’t you?

“I don’t think every blogger knows they can get a press pass,” says Paul Nelson, WTM’s Portfolio, Press and PR Manager, who organises WTM’s huge media attendance and schedule along with a small team. “I don’t think new bloggers understand that if they just have the trade visitor’s pass they can only get in on three days – Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.” According to Paul there are a lots of us aimlessly wandering around the perimeter of WTM each year, barred from activity at the centre. “I would guess there’s probably a hundred to a hundred and fifty bloggers each year who haven’t registered as press. They come as entrepreneurs, small business owners and managing directors of a travel business. They still get in for free, but can’t get in on the Monday.”

Monday is the new black

Why is Monday so important?  Ah yes, the Monday of WTM – a flurry of formal and informal networking in a coffee fuelled haze. Access is strictly for exhibitors, press and VIP’s. Compared to the rest of WTM it’s like seeing Venice on an August day when all the other tourists have accidentally gone to Rome. “Go on the Monday, get in and plan your week,” advises Paul.

Strangely, Paul and I are having this conversation in church with a beer in our hand at another fixed point in the travel bloggers schedule –Traverse. We chat about how conferences are springing up all over the place, yet how essential WTM still is in the diary of the travel journalist. Because this is the conference that polls the world, that sniffs out trends, that helps you make decisions about your travel year and provides the contacts to help you.

“We have two official press conferences at WTM that put the journalists in touch with the trade. We have an industry report we do first thing in the morning; usually 10am but it will be at 10.30 this year. It gives you all the figures and tells you what’s going on in the industry. The idea is to connect what’s happening on the trade floor with the press,” Paul explains. “We’re using all the data, we’re talking to exhibitors, polling all our businesses, finding out what they are thinking, and giving press and bloggers that information.” The other main WTM press conference is the annual presentation of the Global Trends Report which takes place after the industry report briefing where you can put questions to the people temporarily in charge of monitoring the world.

Did I mention reading?

There’s quite a lot of reading at WTM for the travel bookworm. In the press centre there is a wealth of press releases- enough to keep you going for the rest of the year. “We do around 100 World Travel Market official press releases. And then we have the racking area on site of all the 5000 visitors. If there’s one from each you’re looking at 5000 of those.” says Paul.

Get your free ticket to the world

Paul advises you to register now for press accreditation that will give you access to facilities including wifi, PC’s (although it’s often quite hard to bag one), phone chargers, the conference rooms, free Social Travel Market seminars, the racking area, and hospitality. And while you are on the WTM website you can sign up for the blogger speed networking which he expects to grow in popularity this year. “Last year it was 70 bloggers for an hour. This year it will be 100 bloggers for an hour and a half. At the moment you can register your interest on the website. And then we’ll limit it about September time.”

Bon voyage

And then all that’s left is to start training for your four day tramp across the globe in November. With a rucksack full of press releases.